Ion exchanger

ABSTRACT

A porous ion exchanger includes an open cell structure including interconnected macropores and mesopores whose average diameter is in a range of 1 to 1000 μm existing on walls of the macropores. Moreover, a total pore volume is in a range of 1 to 50 ml/g, ion exchange groups are uniformly distributed, and an ion exchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous ion exchanger. The porous ion exchanger can be used as an ion exchanger filled into a deionization module of an electrodeionization water purification device, solid acid catalyst, adsorbent, and filler for chromatography.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an ion exchanger to be used forthe electrodeionization water purification device, and an ion exchangersuitable for a solid acid catalyst and chromatography filling material.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In the electrodeionization water purification device heretoforeput to practical use, basically a mixture ion exchange resin of ananionic exchange resin and cationic exchange resin is filled as an ionexchanger into a gap formed by cation and anion exchange membranes toform a depletion chamber, water to be treated is passed through the ionexchange resins, a direct current is allowed to act in a right angledirection with respect to the water to be treated via both the ionexchange membranes, and ions in the water to be treated are electricallydischarged into concentrate flowing outside both the ion exchangemembranes to produce deionized water. Since impurity ions in the waterto be treated are electrically removed by this operation, the deionizedwater can continuously be obtained without regenerating the filled ionexchange resins by chemical.

[0003] Since the regeneration by the chemical is unnecessary in theelectrodeionization water purification device, the running cost isdetermined by power consumption. The power consumption excludingrectification loss in converting an alternate current into a directcurrent in the electrodeionization water purification device isrepresented by direct current between both electrodes×voltage. Here, thedirect current is determined by the amount of ions contained in thewater to be treated, type of the ions, and required treated waterquality. That is, in the electrodeionization water purification device,it is necessary to continuously discharge the ions captured by the ionexchange resins in the depletion chamber to the concentrate side byelectric migration. A given or more current necessary for the migrationof the ions is essential for the electrodeionization water purificationdevice to normally exhibit its performance, therefore, in an ordinarycase, in the electrodeionization water purification device, aconstant-current operation is performed to hold a constant current valuewhich exceeds a minimum necessary current value in operation conditions.On the other hand, the voltage is determined by electric resistancebetween the electrodes, and depends largely on capabilities of the ionexchange membranes and ion exchange resins used in theelectrodeionization water purification device. That is, the electricresistance is a total sum of electric resistances by an electrodechamber disposed between the electrodes, concentrate chamber, anddepletion chamber. When a distance between the electrodes and operationtemperature are set to be constant, the electric resistance isinfluenced by the concentration and type of ions contained in electrodewater and concentrate, type of ion exchange membranes and ion exchangeresins, type of counter ions of an ion exchange group of the ionexchange resin, further filling method (single or mixed bed), andfurther contact resistance in an interface of all these electricresistance constituting elements. For the electric resistanceconstituting elements, the concentration and type of the ions containedin the electrode water and concentrate are determined by the quality ofthe water to be treated and the required treated water quality, andother elements depend on the capability and use method of the ionexchanger for use in the electrodeionization water purification device.

[0004] However, in the conventional electrodeionization waterpurification device, for the ion exchange resin filled into aelectrodeionization module, a general-purpose product widely availableis used as such. Minimization of the electric resistance value forreducing the running cost of the electrodeionization water purificationdevice has not been taken into consideration in selecting the ionexchange resins. That is, in the conventional electrodeionization waterpurification device, as the ion exchange resin, in general, a sphericalresin having a diameter of about 0.2 to 0.5 mm is filled which isobtained by introducing into a copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene(DVB), sulfonic acid group (R—SO₃ ⁻H⁺) as a cationic exchange group anda quaternary ammonium base (R—N⁺R₁R₂R₃) as an anionic exchange group. Inthis case, the current transfer in ion exchange resin particles, thatis, the transfer of electrons and ions transmitted with low resistancevia the ion exchange groups which uniformly and densely exist in apolymer gel. On the other hand, in an ion exchange resin particleinterface, during movement of the ions and electrons, for the ions, amigration distance of the ions in water is long. For the electrons, anelectron transmission path via hydrogen bond among water molecules islong. Moreover, since a contact area of the particles is small becauseof the spherical shape, a flow of ions is concentrated on a contactportion. This inhibits the current transmission, that is, causes theelectric resistance, and this is a major factor of the electricresistance ascribed to the ion exchange resin.

[0005] Moreover, since the general-purpose ion exchange resin is filledinto the depletion chamber in the conventional electrodeionization waterpurification device, considerable time and labor are necessary for themanufacture of the device. Especially, to assemble anelectrodeionization module, a plurality of sandwiched ends arelaminated/bonded using an adhesive, while wetted ion exchange resinshave to be uniformly filled. The production requires considerable skillsand is not easily automated. Moreover, even when the adhesive is notused, it is difficult to handle the wetted ion exchange resin.

[0006] To solve these problems, for example, there have been proposed: aporous ion exchanger which has a porous structure using binder polymerto bond the ion exchange resin and which holds specific waterpermeability (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 1996-252579,1998-192716); a depletion chamber structure in which an adhesive is usedto integrally bond/form anion and cation exchangers and which obviatesnecessity of a frame including a specific structure of a liquid passingportion and permeate seal-up portion or an ion exchange membrane(Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-218137); and asimplified structure in which a porous structure is formed in surfaceportions of cationic and anionic exchange membranes, the cationicexchange membrane is brought into contact with the anionic exchangemembrane, and a porous portion of the porous structure is used as achannel for circulating the water to be treated (Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 1999-192491).

[0007] When the porous structure described in the Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 1996-252579 is used as a filler of theelectrodeionization module, the problem in manufacturing the device issolved concerning the uniform filling of the granular ion exchangeresin. However, in the porous structure, the granular ion exchangeresins heretofore filled into the electrodeionization module as such arebonded using the binder polymer to form the porous structure.Furthermore, depending on the circumstances, a new step of introducingthe ion exchange group also into a binder polymer portion is necessaryin manufacturing the porous structure. Although a device assembly stepis simplified, the manufacturing of the depletion chamber filler iscomplicated. Furthermore, it cannot be said that the high electricresistance resulting from the filling of the granular ion exchangeresins is sufficiently improved in the porous structure. That is, in theporous structures, the ion exchange group does not exist in the binderpolymer portion. Even when the group exists, a matrix material of thebinder polymer and the structure of the ion exchange group are differentfrom those of the ion exchange resin portion. Additionally, presencedensity of the ion exchange groups in the binder polymer is lower thanthat of the ion exchange resin portion, and it is difficult to form ahomogeneous ion exchanger as a whole. Therefore, the problem ofnonuniformity of ion or electron movement in the filling layer remainsto be unsolved, and it cannot be said that the reduction of the electricresistance of the ion exchanger filling layer and efficient discharge ofthe captured ions into a concentrate chamber are sufficient.

[0008] As described aove, for any one of the conventional porous ionexchangers, the granular ion exchange resins are bonded by the binderpolymer to form the integral structure, or the porous structure is notconcretely described. Moreover, an open cell structure is not disclosedwhich is manufactured by highly dispersed phase emulsifyingpolymerization and which includes interconnected macropores andmesopores as a water channel existing on the macropores. In JapanesePatent Publication No. 1992-49563, a porous polymer is disclosed whichis manufactured by the highly dispersed phase emulsifying polymerizationand which has enhanced adsorption capacity for aqueous or organic acids.However, the porous polymer has an excessively high swelling or liquidabsorption capability and is not suitable for producing the deionizedwater.

[0009] Moreover, as a solid acid catalyst, a silica alumina compoundsuch as zeolite, heteropoly acid, cation exchange resin, and the likehave heretofore been known. When the catalysts excluding the cationexchange resin are used in a water-containing system, activity isremarkably lowered or the catalysts are dissolved and cannot be used.Therefore, most of the solid acid catalysts for use in thewater-containing system are the cationic exchange resins.

[0010] It is known that a particle diameter of the cation exchange resinmay be reduced in order to enhance the catalyst activity of the cationexchange resin. However, to fill the cationic exchange resin into areaction tower and continuously supply a liquid to be treated, when aparticle diameter is reduced, a transmission resistance of the liquid tobe treated increases. While large catalyst activity is maintained, atreatment amount cannot be raised. Moreover, as a method of furtherefficiently allowing the reaction to proceed, a method using reactiondistillation is known. However, when the conventional granular cationicexchange resin is used as the solid acid catalyst for reactiondistillation, the filling of the cationic exchange resin into adistillation tower remarkably blocks transmission property of a gas orliquid including a raw material or reaction product. Therefore, it hasbeen difficult to apply the resin to the reaction distillation.

[0011] Therefore, as a method of solving this shortcoming, there havebeen proposed: a method of granulating the cation exchange resin(Japanese Patent Publication No. 1987-42658); a method of filling an ionexchange fiber (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1982-7259);and a method of introducing the ion exchange group onto a base substancemanufactured by graft polymerization to have a sufficient void (JapanesePatent No. 2846975).

[0012] However, the method of granulating the cation exchange resin hasa disadvantage that improvement effect of the transmission property ofthe gas or liquid is not sufficient and reaction speed drops because ofgranulation. Moreover, in the method of filling the ion exchange fiber,the reaction speed does not drop, but the fiber and fiber processedmaterials such as woven cloth are excessively soft, have insufficientstrength, and therefore have a disadvantage that they absorb reactionliquid and are deformed and hinder the transmission of gas. For themethod of introducing the ion exchange group onto the base substancemanufactured by the graft polymerization to have sufficient void, animprovement effect is recognized as a method of compensating formechanical strength shortage which is the disadvantage of the method offilling the ion exchange fiber. However, the amount of ion exchangegroups which can be introduced by radiation graft polymerization islimited. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that an ion exchangecapacity is not a dequate, and the reaction rate is restricted. Asdescribed above, in the conventional technique, the ion exchangershaving various shapes as the solid acid catalysts have been proposed.However, although sufficiently high catalyst activity is maintained,rapid improvement of transmission property for the gas or liquidincluding the raw material or reaction product is not achieved.

[0013] Moreover, as the porous structure which includes the open cellstructure including the interconnected macropores and mesopores existingon the walls of the macropores and which further includes the microporesexisting on the inner walls of the open cell, an inorganic porousstructure constituted of silica, etc. is known (U.S. Pat. No.5,624,875). Furthermore, active application development of the inorganicporous structure as the filler for chromatography has been performed.However, since the inorganic porous structure is hydrophilic, alaborious operation involving cost increase, such as a hydrophobictreatment of the surface, has been necessary for using the structure asadsorbent. Additionally, when the inorganic porous structure is held inwater for a long time, a silicate ion generated by hydrolysis of silicais eluted into water. Therefore, it has been impossible to use thestructure as the ion exchanger for manufacturing pure water or ultrapurewater. On the other hand, it has been reported that with the use of theinorganic porous structure as the filler for chromatography, thecapability can remarkably be enhanced as compared with the use of theconventional granular filler. However, since the mesopore has a diameterof 50 μm at maximum in the manufacturing method, there is a restrictionduring the treatment of a large flow rate at low pressure. Moreover, themicropore also has a diameter of about 100 nm at maximum. Therefore, inseparation of a polymer compound such as protein and enzyme, there is aproblem that a polymer amount component is insufficiently fractionated.

[0014] On the other hand, as an organic porous structure includingcontinuous pores, a porous structure including a particle aggregationstructure is disclosed in F. Svec, Science, 273, 205 to 211 (1996), andthe like. However, since the porous structure obtained in this methodincludes the particle aggregation structure, a pore volume is small, themesopore cannot be enlarged, and therefore there has been therestriction during the treatment of the large flow rate at the lowpressure. Moreover, since the presence of micropores is unclear andspecific surface area is small, adsorption capacity is low with the useas the adsorbent, and it has been difficult to fractionate polymercompounds by molecular weight when the organic porous structure is usedas the filler for chromatography.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An object of the present invention is to provide a porous ionexchanger which includes a specific open cell structure and which hasremarkably large pore volumes and specific surface areas.

[0016] Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide adeionization module which is easily assembled and which includes asimple structure.

[0017] Furthermore, another object of the present invention is toprovide a power-saving electrodeionization water purification device inwhich the voltage required for its operation is lowered and its powerconsumption can be reduced.

[0018] Additionally, another object of the present invention is toprovide a solid acid catalyst constituted of a porous ion exchangerincluding a specific structure in which sufficiently high catalystactivity is maintained and the property of transmitting gas or liquidincluding a raw material or reaction product or a mixture of these isremarkably improved.

[0019] Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provideadsorbents superior in adsorption capacity or adsorption rate, ionexchangers superior in durability against swelling or contraction,organic porous materials which can be used as fillers for chromatographysuperior in fractionation of high-molecular weight compounds and whichhave remarkably large specific surface areas, manufacturing methodthereof, and organic porous ion exchanger.

[0020] As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors havefound that, for example, porous materials including a specific open cellstructure obtained by polymerizing a water-in-oil type emulsion holdsstrength, has remarkably large pore volumes and specific surface areas,and is therefore preferable for the ion exchanger of theelectrodeionization water purifaication device, and have completed thepresent invention.

[0021] That is, according to the present invention, there is providedporous ion exchangers which include an open cell structure includinginterconnected macropores and mesopores having an average diameter of 1to 1000 μm in existing on the walls of the macropores and have a totalpore volume of 1 to 50 ml/g and in which ion exchange groups areuniformly distributed and an ion exchange capacity is not less than 0.5mg equivalent/g of dry porous ion exchanger. These porous ion exchangersare the ion exchangers which include a specific open cell structure andwhose structure is totally different from the conventional particleaggregation porous structure and is a nevel one. Especially, while theporous structure holds strength, the pore volume and specific surfacearea of the structure can remarkably be enlarged.

[0022] Moreover, according to the present invention, there is provided adeionization module for use in an electrodeionization water purificationdevice, comprising the above-mentioned porous ion exchange filled intoan internal space formed by a cationic exchange membrane disposed so asto seal up one side of a frame and an anionic exchange membrane disposedso as to seal up the other side of the frame. According to thedeionization module, the porous ion exchanger filled in the spacebetween the ion exchange membranes can be formed, for example, in a flatplate shape or cylindrical shape. Moreover, a polymer material which iseasily cut can be used as the frame, and therefore a simple structurewhich is easily assembled can be obtained.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there isprovided an electrodeionization water purification device including thedeionization module. This electrodeionization water purification devicecan be constituted as a power saving type in which the voltage requiredfor its operation is lowered and its power consumption can be reduced.

[0024] Moreover, as a result of intensive studies, the present inventorshave found that the porous ion exchanger is a solid acid catalyst, andhave completed the present invention.

[0025] That is, according to the present invention, there is provided asolid acid catalyst comprising a porous ion exchanger which includes anopen cell structure including interconnected macropores and mesoporeshaving an average diameter of 1 to 1,000 μm existing on the walls of themacropores and in which a total pore volume is in a range of 1 to 50ml/g, cation exchange groups are uniformly distributed, and a cationexchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous ionexchanger.

[0026] Furthermore, as a result of intensive studies, the presentinventors have found that an organic porous material obtained bypolymerizing an oil soluble monomer not containing any ion exchangegroup, a specific precipitant, a surface-active agent, and water-in-oiltype emulsion holds strength and has remarkably large pore volume andspecific surface area, and that the organic porous material act as anadsorbent superior in adsorption capacity and rate, an ion exchangercapable of being used at low pressure and high flow rate and superior indurability against swelling and contraction, or a filler forchromatography superior in the characteristics of fractionating ahigh-molecular-weight compound, and have completed the presentinvention.

[0027] That is, according to the present invention, there is provided anorganic porous material comprising an open cell structure includinginterconnected macropores and mesopores having an average diameter of 1to 1,000 μm existing on the walls of the macropores, and furthermicropores as non-continuous pores having an average pore diameter of 5to 800 nm existing on the an inner wall of the cell structure formed bythe macropores and mesopores. This organic porous material includes aspecific open cell structure, a novel structure totally different fromthe conventional particle aggregation type porous material. Moreover,since the organic porous material can include relatively large mesoporesand non-continuous micropores while holding the strength, the porevolume and specific surface area can remarkably be enlarged. Therefore,the material can act as an absorbent superior in adsorption capacity orrate, an ion exchanger capable of being treated at the low pressure andhigh flow rate and superior in durability against the swelling andcontraction, and a filler for chromatography superior in thecharacteristics of fractionating high-molecular-weight compounds.

[0028] Moreover, in the present invention, an oil-soluble monomer notcontaining any ion exchange group, a precipitant which is a poor solventagainst a polymer obtained by polymerizing the oil-soluble monomer andby which the oil-soluble monomer is dissolved, a surface-active agent,and a water-containing water-in-oil type emulsion are polymerized, andsubsequently unreacted products are removed. Thereafter, the polymer isdried to manufacture the organic porous material. By this constitution,the organic porous material can easily and securely be manufactured.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there isprovided an organic porous ion exchanger comprising an open cellstructure including interconnected macropores and mesopores having anaverage diameter of 1 to 1000 μm existing on the walls of themacropores, and further non-continuous micropores having an average porediameter of 5 to 800 nm existing on the inner walls of the cellstructure formed by the macropores and mesopores, wherein an ionexchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous ionexchanger. When the organic porous ion exchanger is filled, for example,into a space between ion exchange membranes of the electrodeionizationwater purification device to constitute a depletion chamber, thedurability against the swelling and contraction is superior, and waterto be treated can be passed at the low pressure and high flow rate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a deionization module of thepresent invention;

[0031]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another deionization moduleof the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an electrodeionization waterpurification device of the present invention;

[0033]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another electrodeionizationwater purification device of the present invention;

[0034]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing another electrodeionizationwater purification device of the present invention;

[0035]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another electrodeionizationwater purification device of the present invention;

[0036]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing another electrodeionizationwater purification device of the present invention;

[0037]FIG. 8 is an SEM photograph of a porous ion exchanger obtained inan embodiment; and

[0038]FIG. 9 is an SEM photograph of an organic porous material obtainedin another embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0039] A basic structure of a porous ion exchanger of the presentinvention is an open cell structure which includes interconnectedmacropores and mesopores having an average diameter of 1 to 1000 μm,preferably 10 to 100 μm existing on the walls of the macropores. Thatis, in the open cell structure, usually the macropores having an averagediameter of 2 to 5000 μm overlap with one another, overlapped portionsinclude mesopores as common orifices, and most of the macropores have anopen pore structure. When water is passed through the open porestructure, a channel is formed in the cell structure formed by themacropores and mesopores. For the overlap of the macropores, there areone to 12 portions per macropore, three to ten portions at most. Whenthe average diameter of the mesopores is less than 1 μm, and when thestructure is used for water treatment, pressure loss at a water passingtime increases. On the other hand, when the average diameter ofmesopores is larger than 1000 μm, desalination efficiency undesirablydrops. When the structure of the porous ion exchanger is formed as theabove-described open cell structure, macropore and mesopore groups canuniformly be formed. Moreover, as compared with a particle aggregationtype porous material described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenNo. 1996-252579, pore volume and specific surface area can remarkably beenlarged. Therefore, when this is used as the ion exchanger of anelectrodeionization water purification device, the deionizationefficiency is remarkably enhanced, and the structure is veryadvantageous.

[0040] Moreover, the porous ion exchanger has a total pore volume of 1to 50 mL/g. When the total pore volume is less than 1 mL/g, the waterflux rate per unit sectional area decreases, and the treatment capacityundesirably drops. On the other hand, when the total pore volume exceeds50 mL/g, for example, a ratio occupied by a skeletal portion such aspolymer drops, and strength of the porous material remarkablyunfavorably drops. The total pore volume of the conventional porous ionexchanger is in a range of 0.1 to 0.9 mL/g at most. Therefore, it ispossible to use a material which has a high pore volume exceeding thisrange and having a non-conventional range of 1 to 50 mL/g, and largespecific surface area. Furthermore, when the porous ion exchanger has athickness of 10 mm, the water permeation rate is preferably in a rangeof 100 to 100,000 L/minute·m²·MPa. When the water permeation rate andvoid content are within the range, and when this material is used as theion exchanger of the electrodeionization water purification device,requirements for both the strength and deionization efficiency of theporous material can preferably be satisfied. For a material of theskeletal portion forming the open cell structure, an organic polymermaterial including a crosslinking structure is used, and thecrosslinking structure unit should preferably account for in a range of10 to 90 mol % with respect to the total polymer material. When thecrosslinking structure unit is less than 10 mol %, the mechanicalstrength unfavorably weakens. On the other hand, when the unit exceeds90 mol %, it is difficult to introduce ion exchange groups, and the ionexchange capacity unfavorably drops. The type of the polymer material isnot especially limited, and examples of the material include:styrene-based polymers such as polystyrene, poly(α-methylstyrene), andpolyvinylbenzylchloride; polyolefins such as polyethylene andpolypropylene; poly(olefin halide) such as polyvinylchloride, andpolytetrafluoroethylene; nitrile-based polymers such aspolyacrylonitrile; (meth)acryl-based polymers such as polymethylmethacrylate and polyacrylic ethyl; styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer;vinylbenzyl chloride-divinylbenzene copolymer; and the like. The polymermay either homo polymer obtained by polymerizing single monomer, orcopolymer obtained by polymerizing a plurality of monomers. Moreover,two or more polymers may also be blended. Among these organic polymermaterials, in view of the introduction of the ion exchange groups andhigh mechanical strength, the styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer orvinylbenzylchloride-divinylbenzene copolymer is an example of apreferable material. The open cell structure of the porous ion exchangerof the present invention can relatively easily be observed with an SEMphotograph.

[0041] In the porous ion exchanger of the present invention, the ionexchange groups are uniformly distributed, the ion exchange capacity isnot less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous material, preferably notless than 2.0 mg equivalent/g of dry porous material. When the ionexchange capacity is less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porousmaterial, the deionization efficiency unfavorably drops. Moreover, whenthe distribution of the ion exchange groups is nonuniform, ion orelectron movement into the porous ion exchanger becomes nonuniform, andit is unfavorably impossible to reduce electric resistance orefficiently discharge captured ions into a concentrate chamber. It is tobe noted that “the ion exchange groups are uniformly distributed” meansa uniform distribution of the ion exchange groups of at least a μmorder. The distributed circumstance of ion exchange groups canrelatively easily be confirmed using EPMA, SIMS, and the like. Examplesof the ion exchange group to be introduced into the porous ion exchangerinclude: cationic exchange groups such as a carboxylic acid group,iminodiacetic acid group, sulfonic acid group, phosphoric acid group,and phosphoric ester group; anionic exchange groups such as a quaternaryammonium group, tertiary amino group, secondary amino group, primaryamino group, polyethylene imine, tertiary sulfonium group, andphosphonium group; and amphoteric ion-exchange groups such as betaineand sulfobetaine.

[0042] The porous ion exchanger of the present invention includes theopen cell structure in which macropore groups and mesopore groups ofspecific orifices generated by overlapped macropores uniformly exist,and includes a novel structure far different from that of theconventional particle aggregation type porous material. While thestrength of the porous ion exchanger is held, the pore volume andspecific surface area can remarkably be enlarged.

[0043] The manufacturing method of the porous ion exchanger is notespecially limited, and examples of the method include: a method offorming components containing the ion exchange groups into the porousmaterial in one stage; and a method of forming the porous material bythe components not containing the ion exchange groups and thereafterintroducing the ion exchange groups. One example of the manufacturingmethod of the porous ion exchanger will next be described. That is, themethod comprises: mixing an oil-soluble monomer not containing the ionexchange group, surface-active agent, water, and polymerizationinitiator if necessary to obtain the water-in-oil type emulsion; andpolymerizing the emulsion to manufacture the porous ion exchanger.

[0044] The oil-soluble monomer not containing the ion exchange group isan oleophic monomer which does not contain the ion exchange groups suchas a carboxylic acid group, sulfonic acid group, and quaternary ammoniumgroup and which has low solubility with respect to water. Concreteexamples of these monomers include styrene, α-methylstyrene,vinyltoluene, vinylbenzylchloride, divinylbenzene, ethylene, propylene,isobutene, butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, chloroethene, vinylbromide, vinylidene chloride, tetrafluoroethylene, acrylonitrile,methacrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butylacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate,butanediol diacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propylmethacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, cyclohexylmethacrylate, benzyl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and ethyleneglycol methacrylate. These monomers can be used alone or as acombination of two or more thereof. Additionally, in the presentinvention, crosslinking monomers such as divinylbenzene and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate are selected as at least one component of theoil-soluble monomer, and the content is set to a range of 10 to 90 mol%, preferably 12 to 80 mol % in the total oil-soluble monomer. This ispreferable in that a necessary mechanical strength is obtained inintroducing a large amount of ion exchange groups in a subsequent step.

[0045] The surface-active agent is not especially limited as long as thewater-in-oil type (W/O) emulsion can be formed in mixing the oil-solublemonomer not containing the ion exchange group and water. There can beused: non-ion surface-active agents such as sorbitan monooleate,sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate,sorbitan trioleate, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylenestearyl ether, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate; anionicsurface-active agents such as potassium oleate, sodiumdodecylbenzenesulfonate, and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; cationicsurface-active agents such as distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; andamphoteric surface-active agents such as lauryl dimethyl betaine. Thesesurface-active agents can be used alone or as a combination of two ormore thereof. It is to be noted that the water-in-oil type emulsion isan emulsion including a continuous phase as an oil phase and waterdroplets are dispersed in the phase. The addition amount of thesurface-active agent largely should vary with the type of theoil-soluble monomer and the size of emulsion particles (macropores)desired, and cannot therefore categorically be determined. However, theamount can be selected in a range of about 2 to 70% with respect to thetotal amount of the oil-soluble monomer and surface-active agent.Moreover, to control the cell shape and size of the porous ionexchanger, which is not necessarily essential, alcohol such as methanoland stearyl alcohol; carboxylic acid such as stearic acid; and carbonhydride such as octane and dodecane can coexist in the system.

[0046] As the polymerization initiator, a compound which generatesradicals by heat and irradiation is preferably used. The polymerizationinitiator may be water or oil soluble, and examples of the initiatorinclude azobisisobutyronitrile, azobiscyclohexanenitrile,azobiscyclohexanecarbonitrile, benzoyl peroxide, potassium persulfate,ammonium persulfate, hydrogen peroxide-iron chloride, sodiumpersulfate-acid sulphite sodium, tetramethyl thiram disulfide, and thelike. Additionally, depending on circumstances, the polymerizationproceeds only with heating or irradiation without adding thepolymerization initiator in some system, and it is unnecessary to addthe polymerization initiator in the system.

[0047] The method of mixing the oil-soluble monomer not containing theion exchange group, surface-active agent, water, and polymerizationinitiator to form the water-in-oil emulsion is not especially limited.As the method, a method of mixing the respective components in a batchall at once, a method of separately uniformly dissolving oil-solublecomponents such as the oil-soluble monomer, surface-active agent, andoil-soluble polymerization initiator, and water-soluble components suchas water and water-soluble polymerization initiator and thereaftermixing the respective components, and the like can be used. The devicefor forming the emulsion is not especially limited, a usual mixer,homogenizer, high-pressure homogenizer, and the like can be used, and anappropriate device for obtaining a target emulsion particle diameter maybe selected. Moreover, mixing conditions are not especially limited, andan agitation rotation number or time can arbitrarily be set so that thetarget emulsion particle diameter can be obtained.

[0048] With regard to the conditions for polymerizing the water-in-oiltype emulsion thus obtained, various conditions can be selected inaccordance with the type of the monomer, and polymerization initiatorsystem. For example, when the polymerization initiators such asasobisisobutyronitrile, benzoyl peroxide, and potassium persulfate areused, the emulsion may be heated/polymerized at 30 to 100° C. for one to48 hours in a sealed container under an inert atmosphere. When theinitiators such as hydrogen peroxide-iron chloride and sodiumpersulfate-acid sulphite sodium are used, the emulsion may bepolymerized at 0 to 30° C. for one to 48 hours in the sealed containerunder the inert atmosphere. After the polymerization ends, the contentof the container is taken out, Soxhlet extraction is performed usingsolvents such as isopropanol, and unreacted monomer and remainingsurface-active agent are removed to obtain the porous material.

[0049] The method of introducing the ion exchange group into the porousmaterial obtained by the polymerization step is not especially limited,and known methods such as polymer reaction and graft polymerization canbe used. Examples of a method of introducing the sulfonic acid groupinclude: a method of using chlorosulfuric acid, concentrated sulfuricacid, or fuming sulfuric acid to sulfonate the material, when the porousmaterial is a styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer; a method of introducinga radical initiation group or chain transfer group into the porousmaterial and graft-polymerizing sodium styrenesulfonate oracrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid; a method of similarlygraft-polymerizing glycidyl methacrylate and subsequently introducingthe sulfonic acid group by functional group conversion; and the like.Moreover, examples of a method of introducing the quaternary ammoniumgroup include: a method of introducing a chloromethyl group bychloromethyl methyl ether, thereafter reacting the group with tertiaryamine, and introducing the group, when the porous material is thestyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer; a method of manufacturing the porousmaterial by copolymerization of chloromethyl styrene and divinylbenzene, reacting the group with tertiary amine, and introducing thegroup; a method of introducing the radical initiation group or chaintransfer group into the porous material to graft-polymerizeN,N,N-trimethylammonium ethylacrylate or N,N,N-trimethylammonium propylacrylamide; a method of similarly graft-polymerizing glycidylmethacrylate and subsequently introducing the quarternary ammonium groupby the functional group conversion; and the like. Moreover, examples ofa method of introducing betaine include: a method of introducingtertiary amine into the porous material as described above, andsubsequently reacting and introducing monoiodoacetic acid; and the like.It is to be noted that examples of the ion exchange group to beintroduced include: the cationic exchange groups such as the carboxylicacid group, iminodiacetic acid group, sulfonic acid group, phosphoricacid group, and phosphoric ester group; anionic exchange groups such asthe quaternary ammonium group, tertiary amino group, secondary aminogroup, primary amino group, polyethylene imine, tertiary sulfoniumgroup, and phosphonium group; and amphoteric ion-exchange groups such asbetaine and sulfobetaine.

[0050] As a deionization module for use in the electrodeionization waterpurification device according to the present invention, for example, asshown in FIG. 1, there is a deionization module 10A in which a porousion exchanger 100 formed in a plate shape is filled into an internalspace 104 formed by a cationic exchange membrane 101 disposed so as toseal up one side of a frame 103 and an anionic exchange membrane 102disposed to seal up the other side. As shown in FIG. 2, there is anotherdeionization module 10B in which a porous ion exchanger 100 a formed inthe plate shape is filled into a first internal space 104 a formed bythe cationic exchange membrane 101 disposed so as to seal up one side ofa frame 103 a and an intermediate ion exchange membrane 105sealed/attached between frames 103 a and 103 b, and further a porous ionexchanger 100 b formed in the plate shape is filled into a secondinternal space 104 b formed by the intermediate ion exchange membrane105 and anionic exchange membrane 102 disposed to seal up the other sideof the frame 103 b. That is, a mode for filling the porous ion exchangerof the present invention into the deionization module is not especiallylimited as long as an object to produce deionized water is achieved. Afilling mode can be used in which the ion exchanger in the conventionaldeionization module is replaced with the porous ion exchanger of thepresent invention. Moreover, in the electrodeionization module of thepresent invention, without using the frame, the ion exchange membraneand porous ion exchanger can be bonded/to form the electrodeionizationmodule, and an assembly operation of the electrodeionization waterpurification device can be simplified.

[0051] It is to be noted that as shown by broken lines in the drawings,inflow and outflow orifices are disposed in upper and lower sides of theframes 103, 103 a, 103 b, and water can be circulated through theinternal spaces of the frames 103, 103 a, 103 b.

[0052] The electrodeionization water purification device of the presentinvention is not especially limited, as long as the device including theelectrodeionization module electrically discharges impurity ionscaptured in the porous ion exchanger and produces deionized water, andexamples of the device include flat-plate shaped, cylindrical, andspiral electrodeionization water purification devices. As the flat plateshaped electrodeionization water purification device, for example, ausable device includes: a depletion chamber in which the porous ionexchanger is filled between the cation and anion exchange membranes;concentrate chambers disposed on opposite sides of the depletion chambervia the cation and anion exchange membranes; and an anode and a cathodedisposed on the opposite sides. Another usable device includes: adepletion chamber in which porous ion exchangers are filled into a firstsmall depletion chamber formed by a cation exchange membrane, and anintermediate ion exchange film disposed between the cation exchangemembrane and an anion exchange membranes, and a second small depletionchamber formed by the intermediate ion exchange membrane and the anionexchange membrane; concentrate chambers disposed on opposite sides ofthe depletion chamber via the cationic and anionic exchange membranes;and an anode and a cathode disposed on the opposite sides.

[0053] The electrodeionization water purification device in anembodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter withreference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, 1 denotes a depletion chamber, 2 denotesa concentrate chamber, and the above-described modules are prepared toconstitute these depletion chambers 1. In the present embodiment, aporous amphoteric ion exchanger 100 c into which the amphoteric ionexchange group is introduced is charged so as to be held between theanionic exchange membrane 102 and cationic exchange membrane 101 so thatthe deionization module 10A is formed. A plurality ofelectrodeionization modules 10A are arranged apart from and in parallelwith one another. A spacer (not shown) including a watertight membersuch as rubber packing formed in a frame shape is disposed between theelectrodeionization modules 10A, and a space portion formed in thismanner is constituted as the concentrate chamber 2. An anode 110 andcathode 109 are disposed on opposite sides of a structure in which thedepletion chambers 1 and concentrate chambers 2 are alternatelyarranged, partition membranes 113, 114 are disposed in the vicinity ofthe anode 110 and cathode 109, a space between the partition film 113and anode 110 is constituted as an anode chamber 111, and a spacebetween the partition film 114 and cathode 109 is constituted as acathode chamber 112. In FIG. 3, for the sake of diagrammaticrepresentation, the porous amphoteric ion exchanger 100 c is disposedapart from the anionic exchange membrane 102 and cationic exchangemembrane 101 positioned on the opposite sides, but actually the porousamphoteric ion exchanger 100 c is closely attached to the anionicexchange membrane 102 and cationic exchange membrane 101. It is to benoted that also in FIGS. 4 to 7 described later, the porous ionexchanger is closely attached to the ion exchange membrane to form thedepletion chamber.

[0054] The electrodeionization water purification device of FIG. 3 isoperated as follows. First, water to be treated is passed through thedepletion chamber 1, concentrate is passed through the concentratechamber 2, and electrode water is passed through the anode chamber 111and cathode chamber 112. As the concentrate, usually the same water asthe water to be treated which is supplied to the deplention chamber isused. On the other hand, voltage is applied between the anode 110 andcathode 109, and a direct current is passed in a right-angle directionwith respect to the flow direction of the water to be treated andconcentrate. When the water to be treated flowing into the deplentionchamber 1 is circulated in the open cell structure including macroporesand mesopores of the porous ion exchanger, ions are captured by the ionexchange group introduced in the open cell structure, and dischargedinto the concentrate chamber 2 through the ion exchange membranes 101,102.

[0055] The electrodeionization water purification device according toanother embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. The number ofelectrodeionization modules is appropriately determined by useconditions such as treatment capability, and FIGS. 4 to 7 show twoelectrodeionization modules for the purpose of simplifying the drawings.Moreover, the same constituting elements are denoted with the samereference numerals, the description thereof is omitted, and differentrespects will mainly be described. FIG. 4 is different from FIG. 3 inthat the type of the porous ion exchanger constituting theelectrodeionization module is changed. For the electrodeionizationmodule 10A for use in the device of FIG. 4, the porous amphoteric ionexchanger 100 c into which the amphoteric ion exchange group isintroduced, porous cationic exchanger 100 d into which the cationicexchange group is introduced, and porous anionic exchanger 10 e intowhich the anionic exchange group is introduced are manufactured in smallblock shapes. The porous amphoteric ion exchanger 100 c, porous cationexchanger 10 d, porous anion exchanger 10 e, porous cation exchanger 100d, and porous anion exchanger 10 e are laminated in order from an inflowside of the water to be treated, and this lamination is held between theanion exchange membrane 102 and cation exchange film 101 in theconstitution.

[0056]FIG. 5 is different from FIG. 3 in that the type of the porous ionexchanger constituting the electrodeionization module is changed. In theelectrodeionization module 10A for use in the device of FIG. 5, theporous cation exchanger 100 d and porous anion exchanger 10 e abut oneach other on a porous ion exchanger side, and are held between theanion exchange membrane 102 and cation exchange membrane 101 on theopposite sides disposed opposite to the abutment surface.

[0057]FIG. 6 is different from FIG. 3 in that the type of the porous ionexchanger constituting the electrodeionization module is changed, twoelectrodeionization modules are connected in series, and water flowingout of one deionization module is used as the water to be treated of theother electrodeionization module. That is, in the electrodeionizationmodule 10A for use in the device of FIG. 6, each of the porous cationexchanger 100 d into which the cationic exchange group is introduced andthe porous anion exchanger 100 e into which the anionic exchange groupis introduced is charged to be held between the anionic exchangemembrane 102 and cation exchange membrane 101, a cation removal module10A₁ and a anion removal module 10A₂ are constituted, and water flowingout of the anion removal module 10A₂ is used as the water to be treatedof the cation removal module 10A₁.

[0058] The electrodeionization module 10A shown in FIG. 1 can be used inany one of electrodeionization modules for use in the devices of FIGS. 3to 6.

[0059] On the other hand, the electrodeionization module 10B shown inFIG. 2 can be used in the deionization module for use in the device ofFIG. 7. That is, in the device of FIG. 7, for two small desalinationchambers 1 a, 1 b defined by the cationic exchange film 101 on one side,anionic exchange film 102 on the other side, and intermediate ionexchange film 105 positioned between the cationic exchange film 101 andanionic exchange film 102, the porous amphoteric ion exchanger, or alamination 100 f of porous anionic and cation exchangers is charged intothe small desalination chamber 1 b on the cationic exchange film 101side, the porous anion exchanger 100 e is charged into the smalldesalination chamber 1 a on the anion exchange film 102 side toconstitute the depletion chamber 1, the concentrate chambers 2 aredisposed on the opposite sides of the depletion chamber via the cationicexchange membrane 101 and anionic exchange membrane 102, and thesedepletion chamber 1 and concentrate chamber 2 are disposed between theanode 110 and cathode 109 to constitute the device. In the presentembodiment, the anion exchange membrane is used as the intermediate ionexchange membrane 105.

[0060] The electrodeionization water purification device of FIG. 7 isoperated as follows. First, the water to be treated is passed throughthe small desalination chamber 1 a, subsequently the water flowing outof the small desalination chamber 1 a is passed through the otheradjacent small desalination chamber 1 b, the concentrate is passedthrough the concentrate chamber 2, and the electrode water is passedthrough the anode chamber 111 and cathode chamber 112. On the otherhand, the voltage is applied between the anode 110 and cathode 109, andthe direct current is passed in the right-angle direction with respectto the flow direction of the water to be treated and concentrate. Whenthe water to be treated flowing into the small desalination chamber lais circulated in the open cell structure including the macropores andmesopores of the porous anionic exchanger 100 e, the ions are capturedby the ion exchange group introduced in the open cell structure, andremoved. Furthermore, when the water flowing out of the smalldesalination chamber 1 a is circulated in the open cell structureincluding the macropores and mesopores of the lamination 100 f of theporous amphoteric ion exchanger or the porous anionic exchanger andporous cationic exchanger, the ions are captured by the ion exchangegroup introduced in the open cell structure, and removed. Theconcentrate rises through each concentrate chamber, receives theimpurity ions transferred via the cationic exchange membrane 101 andanionic exchange membrane 102, and discharges the impurity ions as thecondensed concentrate outside the system.

EXAMPLES

[0061] Next, examples of the present invention will further concretelybe described. This is only an illustration, and does not limit thepresent invention.

Example 1-1

[0062] (Manufacturing of Porous Cation Exchanger)

[0063] After 27.7 g of styrene, 6.9 g of divinylbenzene, 0.14 g ofasobisisobutylonitrile and 3.8 g of sorbitan monooleate were mixed anduniformly dissolved, the resultantstyrene/divinylbenzene/asobisisobutylonitrile/sorbitan monooleatemixture was added to 450 mL of deionized water. A homogenizer was usedto agitate the mixture at 20000 rotations/minute for two minutes, sothat a water-in-oil type emulsion was obtained. After the emulsificationended, the water-in-oil type emulsion was transferred to astainless-steel autoclave, sufficiently replaced with nitrogen, sealed,and polymerized under a still standing state at 60° C. for 24 hours.After the polymerization ended, the content was taken out, Soxhletextraction was performed using isopropanol for 18 hours to remove theunreacted monomer and sorbitan monooleate, and pressure reduction anddrying were performed at 40° C. overnight. After 5 g of the porousmaterial containing 14 mol % of the crosslinking component including thestyrene/divinylbenzene copolymer obtained in this manner was picked up,and 500 g of tetrachloroethane was added thereto. The mixture was heatedat 60° C. for 30 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature.Afterward, 25 g of chlorosulfuric acid was gradually added to themixture, and reaction was carried out at room temperature for 24 hours.Thereafter, acetic acid was added, and the reactants were put into alarge amount of water, rinsed, and dried to obtain a porous cationicexchanger. It was confirmed that the ion exchange capacity of the porousmaterial was 4.0 mg equivalent/g in terms of the dry porous material andthat the sulfonic acid groups were uniformly introduced into the porousmaterial using EPMA to map sulfur atoms. Moreover, as a result of SEMobservation shown in FIG. 8, the internal structure of the porousmaterial includes the open cell structure, most of macropores having anaverage diameter of 30 μm overlap with one another, the average value ofdiameters of mesopores formed by the overlap of the macropores was 5 μm,and a total pore volume was 10.1 mL/g. Moreover, when the porousmaterial was cut out in a thickness of 10 mm, and water permeation ratewas measured, 14,000 L/minute·m²·MPa was obtained, and excellent waterpermeation property was indicated.

Example 1-2

[0064] (Manufacturing of Porous Anion Exchanger)

[0065] Polymerization of a water-in-oil type emulsion was performed inthe same manner as in Example 1-1 except that instead of 27.7 g ofstyrene, 18.0 g of p-chloromethyl styrene was used, and 17.3 g ofdivinylbenzene and 0.26 g of asobisisobutylonitrile were used, toproduce a porous material containing 50 mol % of a crosslinkingcomponent including the p-chloromethyl styrene/divinylbenzene copolymer.After 5 g of the porous material was picked up, 500 g of dioxane wasadded thereto. The resultant mixture was heated at 80° C. for 30minutes, and then cooled to room temperature. Afterward, 65 g of aqueoustrimethylamine (30%) was gradually added to the mixture, and reactionwas carried out at 50° C. for three hours. The mixture was allowed tostand at room temperature overnight. After the reaction ended, theporous material was taken out, cleaned with acetone, rinsed, and driedto obtain the porous anion exchanger. It has been confirmed that the ionexchange capacity of the porous material was 2.5 mg equivalent/g interms of the dry porous material and that the trimethylammonium groupsare uniformly introduced into the porous material by SIMS. Moreover, asa result of SEM observation, the internal structure of the porousmaterial includes the open cell structure, most of macropores having anaverage diameter of 30 μm overlapped with one another, the average valueof diameters of mesopores formed by the overlap of the macropores was 4μm, and the total pore volume was 9.9 mL/g. Moreover, when the porousmaterial was cut out in a thickness of 10 mm, and water permeation ratewas measured, 12,000 L/minute·m²·MPa was obtained, and the excellentwater permeation property was indicated.

Comparative Example 1-1

[0066] The same procedure as in Example 1-1 was carried out except that0.60 g of potassium persulfate was used instead of 0.14 g ofasobisisobutylonitrile and an amount of sorbitan monooleate was changedto 15.5 g from 3.8 g, to obtain the porous cation exchanger. For theobtained porous material, the ion exchange capacity was 4.0 mgequivalent/g in terms of the dry porous material, and the total porevolume was 0.2 mL/g. However, the average value of diameters ofmesopores was as small as 0.2 μm. When the water permeation rate wasmeasured in the same manner as in Example 1-1, the permeation rate was40 L/minute·m²·MPa.

Example 1-3

[0067] (Preparation of Electrodeionization Module)

[0068] The porous cation exchanger, porous anion exchanger, or porousamphoteric ion exchanger obtained in Examples 1-1 and 1-2 was cut to asize of 100 mm in length, 100 mm in breadth and 8 mm in width to obtainfive small blocks. That is, the porous amphoteric ion exchanger 100 c,porous cationic exchanger 100 d, and porous anionic exchanger 100 e wereprepared in small block shapes. In order from the inflow side of thewater to be treated, the porous amphoteric ion exchanger 100 c, porouscationic exchanger 10 d, porous anionic exchanger 10 e, porous cationicexchanger 100 d, and porous anionic exchanger 10 e were laminated, andfilled so as to be held between the anionic exchange membrane 102 andcationic exchange membrane 101, so that an electrodeionization modulewas obtained for use in the device of FIG. 4.

Example 1-4

[0069] (Manufacturing and Running of Electrodeionization WaterPurification Device)

[0070] The obtained deionization module was used to manufacture theelectrodeionization water purification device. The electrodeionizationwater purification device was constituted of one depletion chamber, oneanode chamber, and one cathode chamber. Spacers were inserted betweenthe depletion chamber and anode chamber and between the depletionchamber and cathode chamber to form the concentrate chamber. Water whichwas obtained by treating city water with a reverse osmosis membrane andwhich had a conductivity of 3.6 μS/cm was supplied as the water to betreated to the electrodeionization water purification device, and thedevice was operated. At an operation current of 0.40 A of theelectrodeionization water purification device, treated water having aspecific resistance of 5.0 M Ω·cm was obtained. An operation voltage atthis time was 20 V.

Comparative Example 1-2

[0071] An electrodeionization water manufacturing device was operatedunder the same conditions as in Example 1-4 except that a mixture ofAmberite 120B and Amberite 402BL having equivalent and equal ionexchange capacity was used instead of the porous ion exchanger of theopen cell structure. Water which was obtained by treating city waterwith a reverse osmosis membrane and which had a conductivity of 3.6μS/cm was supplied as the water to be treated to the electrodeionizationwater purification device, and the device was operated. At the operationcurrent of 0.40 A of the electrodeionization water purification device,treated water having a specific resistance of 5.0 M Ω·cm was obtained.The operation voltage at this time was 30 V.

[0072] In comparison of Example 1-4 with Comparative Example 2, it wasconfirmed that with the use of the porous ion exchangers as the ionexchanger, it was thereby possible to reduce the operation voltage ofthe electrodeionization water purification device and to reduce powerconsumption. Moreover, to prepare the electrodeionization module, inComparative Example 1 the ion exchange resins had to be uniformly filledin a wetted state, and the manufacturing requires much trouble. On theother hand, there was not the step of uniform filling of the ionexchange resins in Examples 1-3 and 1-4, and the manufacturing wasfacilitated.

[0073] As described above, the porous ion exchangers of the presentinvention are ion exchangers including the specific open cell structure,and include a novel structure totally different from that of theconventional particle aggregation type porous material. Especially,while the porous material holds strength, the pore volume and specificsurface area can remarkably be enlarged. According to theelectrodeionization module of the present invention, the porous ionexchangers filled into the space between the ion exchange membranes canbe formed, for example, in the flat plate or cylindrical shape, and thepolymer material which can easily be cut can be used. Therefore, thestructure can easily be assembled, and simplified. Moreover, for theelectrodeionization water purification device of the present invention,since the deionization efficiency is high, the voltage at the operationtime is lowered, and the device can be of a power saving type in whichthe power consumption can be reduced.

[0074] Moreover, in the porous ion exchangers according to the presentinvention, the cation ion exchange resin is preferably used in the solidacid catalyst. This will be described.

[0075] That is, the porous ion exchanger of the present inventionincludes the open cell structure including the mesopores having anaverage diameter in a range of 1 to 1000 μm, preferably 10 to 100 μm.

[0076] As described above, since the structure of the porous ionexchanger is the above-described open cell structure, the macropore andmesopore groups can uniformly be formed, and the pore volume andspecific surface area can remarkably be enlarged as compared with theparticle aggregation type porous material described in Japanese PatentPublication No. 1987-42658. Therefore, when the exchanger of the presentinvention is used as the solid acid catalyst, its catalyst activity isremarkably enhanced, and the catalyst is very advantageous.

[0077] The porous ion exchanger for use in the solid acid catalyst isbasically the above-described porous ion exchanger. With the solid acidcatalyst, the cation exchange group is introduced as the ion exchangegroup.

[0078] Then, examples of the ion exchange group to be introduced includecationic exchange groups such as the carboxyl group, iminodiacetic acidgroup, sulfonic acid group, and phosphoric acid group.

[0079] The solid acid catalyst of the present invention can be used, forexample, in organic reactions such as esterification and hydrolysis ofester. It is especially preferable to use the catalyst in a reactiondistillation method of reacting supplied reaction raw materials in areaction distillation tower and continuously taking a reaction productout of a reaction system using a difference of boiling point, in thatsufficiently high catalyst activity is maintained and permeationproperty for gas or liquid including the raw material, product, ormixture of these can rapidly be enhanced.

[0080] A filling mode of the solid acid catalyst of the presentinvention into the reaction tower is not especially limited, andexamples of the mode include: a method of filling a catalystmanufactured as such in accordance with the shape inside the reactiontower; a method of dividing the catalyst into a plurality of blockshapes and laminating and filling the blocks; a method of partiallyincorporating and using a layer using a conventional granular cationexchange resin. Furthermore, the solid acid catalyst of the presentinvention can be processed/molded and filled together with a supportmember. In this case, support strength of the solid acid catalyst in thereaction tower increases. The catalyst can thus be used, even when aliquid passing speed in the reaction tower is high.

Example 2-1

[0081] (Manufacturing of Porous Cation Exchanger)

[0082] The above-described porous cationic exchanger of Example 1-1 wasused. The porous material was cut to a thickness of 10 mm. When thewater permeation rate and air peremeation were measured, the rates were14,000 L/minute·m²·MPa and 3,600 m³/minute·m²·MPa, respectively, and theexcellent permeation properties were indicated.

Comparative Example 2-1

[0083] The above-described porous cationic exchanger of ComparativeExample 1-1 was used. When the water and air permeation rates weremeasured in the same manner as in Example 2-1, the rates were 40L/minute·m²·MPa and 30 m³/minute·m²·MPa, respectively, and thepermeation properties were inferior.

Example 2-2

[0084] (Hydrolysis Reaction of Methyl Acetate by Reaction Distillation)

[0085] A jacketed column having an inner diameter of 25 mm was used as areaction distillation tower, a glass helix having a diameter of 4 mm wasfilled into a lower portion thereof up to a height of 800 mm to form arecovery portion, and the porous cationic exchanger obtained in Example2-1 was cut to a diameter of 25 mm and a height of 800 mm and filled asa solid acid catalyst into an upper portion thereof to form a reactionportion. An amount of the filled catalyst was 27.5 g in terms of dryweight. A methyl acetate/methanol mixture liquid (mol ratio of 1.0/0.4)was supplied to the reaction distillation tower from a lower end of thereaction portion at a flow rate of 100 g/hour. On the other hand, waterwas supplied from an upper end of the reaction portion at a flow rate of100 g/hour, and the reaction was performed. It is to be noted that anysupply liquid was heated to 65° C. and supplied, and warm water at 65°C. was circulated through a jacket of the reaction distillation tower.The liquid in the still was heated to 85° C., and then treated undertotal reflux. After the reaction was stabilized, hydrolysis ratios(reaction ratios) were measured, and a reaction ratio of 97% wasobtained on the average.

Comparative Example 2-2

[0086] Amberlist 15 WET having a water wet state and corresponding to adry weight of 27.5 g was filled into a jacketed column having an innerdiameter of 25 mm. A liquid obtained by mixing the same weights of amethyl acetate/methanol mixture liquid (mol ratio of 1.0/0.4) and waterwas passed through the column. It is to be noted that the supply liquidwas heated to 50° C. and supplied, and warm water at 50° C. wascirculated through the jacket of the column. The reaction ratio rosewith the drop of a liquid passing rate. When the liquid passing rate was150 mL/hour, the ratio was 55%. However, even when the liquid passingrate was reduced to below 150 mL/hour, enhancement of the reaction ratiowas not recognized.

[0087] The solid acid catalyst including the porous ion exchanger of thepresent invention has high cation exchange group density and large porevolume and specific surface area, therefore indicates high catalystactivity, and is also superior in the permeation property for gas orliquid including the raw material, product, or mixture of these.Therefore, the catalyst allows the organic reaction to efficientlyproceed in a short time and with a high reaction ratio, and can beapplied as the solid acid catalyst for reaction distillation not only toan ordinary organic reaction process but also to broad areas ofapplication.

[0088] Another invention useful as an adsorbent, filler forchromatography, and ion exchanger will next be described by a techniquesimilar to that of the above-described porous ion exchanger.

[0089] A basic structure of an organic porous material and organicporous ion exchanger of the present invention is an open cell structurewhich includes interconnected macropores and mesopores having an averagediameter of 1 to 1000 μm, preferably 10 to 100 μm, existing on the wallsof the macropores. In the inner wall of the cell formed by themacropores and mesopores, there are further non-continuous microporeshaving an average pore diameter of 5 to 800 nm, preferably 5 to 500 nm.That is, in the open cell structure, usually the macropores having anaverage diameter of 2 to 5000 μm overlap with one another, theoverlapped portions include mesopores as common orifices, and theportion includes an open pore structure. When liquid or gas is passedthrough the open pore structure, the channel is formed in the cellstructure formed by the macropores and mesopores. For the overlap of themacropores, there are one to 12 overlaps per macropore, three to tenoverlaps at most. When the average diameter of the mesopores is lessthan 1 μm, pressure loss during a liquid or gas permeation timeunfavorably increases. On the other hand, when the average diameter ofmesopores is larger than 1000 μm, the liquid or gas insufficientlycontacts the porous ion exchanger. As a result, adsorption or ionexchange characteristics are unfavorably deteriorated. Since the organicporous material and organic porous ion exchanger include theabove-described open cell structure, the macropore and mesopore groupscan uniformly be formed. Additionally, as compared with the particleaggregation type porous ion exchanger described in F. Svec, Science,273, 205 to 211 (1996), and the like, the pore volume can remarkably beincreased.

[0090] Furthermore, when the above-described micropores having anaverage pore diameter of 5 to 800 nm are introduced into the inner wallof the cell structure, the specific surface area can remarkably beenlarged. The micropore is formed by micro concave/convex portionshaving undefined shapes, and the average pore diameter is determined bya known nitrogen adsorption method or mercury press-fit method. When theaverage diameter of the micropore is less than 5 nm, the specificsurface area is not much enlarged. Even when the exchanger is used asthe filler for chromatography, superior capability is not easilyobtained and this exchanger is unfavorable. On the other hand, when theaverage diameter of the micropore exceeds 800 nm, the strength of theorganic porous material or organic porous ion exchanger unfavorablydrops. The specific surface areas of the organic porous material andorganic porous ion exchanger of the present invention largely change bythe setting of the total pore volume of the porous material, but canarbitrarily be set in a range of 10 to 500 m²/g. For the specificsurface area of the organic porous material or organic porous ionexchanger of the present invention, a high specific surface area can beused which exceeds that of the conventional porous synthetic adsorbentor ion exchange resin having the area of 10 m²/g at most and which hasnot been heretofore achieved. Especially, when the organic porousmaterial of the present invention is used as the adsorbent, the materialhaving a specific surface area in a range of 50 to 500 m²/g ispreferable. Because the anionic exchange is remarkably enhanced. Thespecific surface area can be obtained by the BET method.

[0091] Moreover, the organic porous material and organic porous ionexchanger have a total pore volume of 1 to 50 mL/g. When the total porevolume is less than 1 mL/g, the permeation of liquid or gas amount perunit sectional area is reduced, and treatment capability unfavorablydrops. On the other hand, when the total pore volume exceeds 50 mL/g,the strengths of the organic porous material and organic porous ionexchanger unfavorably remarkably drop. For the total pore volume, theconventional porous synthetic adsorbent or ion exchange resin is in arange of 0.1 to 0.9 mL/g at most, but the high pore volume of 1 to 50mL/g, preferably 5 to 50 mL/g of the organic porous material and organicporous ion exchanger in accordance with the preset invention can be usedwhich exceeds this range and which has not heretofore been achieved.

[0092] Moreover, for the permeation properties for the liquid and gas ofthe organic porous material and organic porous ion exchanger, water isused as the representative liquid, and air is used as the representativegas. When the thickness of the organic porous material or organic porousion exchanger is assumed as 10 mm, the respective permeation rates arepreferably in ranges of 100 to 100000 L/minute·m²·MPa and 100 to 50000m³/minute·m²·MPa. When the permeation rate, total pore volume, andspecific surface area are in the above-described ranges, and when thismaterial is used as the adsorbent, ion exchanger, or filler forchromatography, a contact area with the liquid or gas is large, smoothcirculation of the liquid or gas is possible, and the material hasfurther sufficient mechanical strength and can fulfill superiorcapability. The material of the framework portion forming the open cellis an organic polymer material which has a crosslinking structure. Thepolymer material preferably contains a crosslinking structure unit of 10to 90 mol % with respect to all the constituting units which constitutethe polymer material. When the crosslinking structure unit is less than10 mol %, the mechanical strength unfavorably falls short. On the otherhand, when the unit exceeds 90 mol %, the introduction of the ionexchange group becomes difficult, and the ion exchange capacityunfavorably drops.

[0093] The type of the polymer material is not especially limited, andexamples of the material include: styrene-based polymers such aspolystyrene, poly(α-methylstyrene), and polyvinylbenzylchloride;polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene; poly(olefin halide)such as polyvinylchloride, and polytetrafluoroethylene; nitrile-basedpolymers such as polyacrylonitrile; (meth)acryl-based polymers such aspolymethyl methacrylate and polyacrylic ethyl; styrene-divinylbenzenecopolymer; vinylbenzyl chloride-divinylbenzene copolymer; and the like.The above-described polymer may either homo polymer obtained bypolymerizing single monomer, or copolymer obtained by polymerizing aplurality of monomers. Moreover, two or more polymers may also beblended. Among these organic polymer materials, in view of the ease ofintroduction of the ion exchange group and high mechanical strength, thestyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer or vinylbenzylchloride-divinylbenzenecopolymer is the example of the preferable material. The open cellstructure of the organic porous material or organic porous ion exchangerof the present invention can be observed with SEM. Moreover, the porediameters of the macropores and mesopores are also determined by the SEMobservation.

[0094] To use the organic porous material of the present invention asthe adsorbent, for example, the cutout shape of the organic porousmaterial which can be inserted into a cylindrical or square column isinserted as the adsorbent into the column. When the water to be treatedcontaining hydrophobic materials such as benzene, toluene, phenol, andparaffin is passed through the column, the above-described hydrophobicmaterials are efficiently adsorbed by the adsorbent. The specificsurface area and pore volume of the conventional porous syntheticadsorbent are 10 m²/g and 0.9 mL/g at most, and the adsorbent of thepresent invention can attain the adsorption capability several or moretimes that of the conventional adsorbent.

[0095] To use the organic porous material of the present invention asthe filler for chromatography, for example, the cutout shape of theorganic porous material which can be inserted into the cylindrical orsquare column is filled as the filler into the column, and the water tobe treated containing polymer compounds such as protein and enzyme arepassed through the column. Then, while the strength is held, the largecontact area can be obtained, and the high-molecular-weight componentsof protein and enzyme are sufficiently fractionated. In the conventionalinorganic porous material of the open cell structure, the rize of themicropores is 100 nm at maximum. Therefore, the filler forchromatography of the present invention can attain the superiorfractionation capability of the polymer components as compared with theconventional filler. Examples of the chromatography include ionchromatography, reverse phase liquid chromatography, and forward phaseliquid chromatography.

[0096] For the organic porous ion exchanger of the present invention,the ion exchange groups are uniformly distributed, and the ion exchangecapacity is not less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous material,preferably not less than 2.0 mg equivalent/g of dry porous material.When the ion exchange capacity is less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dryporous material, the ion exchange capability unfavorably drops.Moreover, when the distribution of the ion exchange group is nonuniform,dispersion is generated in ion exchange reaction, capture ratio of ionsdrops, and it is unfavorably difficult to perform ion exchange treatmentat high rate. It is to be noted that “the ion exchange groups areuniformly distributed in the porous material” described herein means theuniform distribution of the ion exchange groups of at least a μm order.The distributed circumstance of ion exchange groups can easily beconfirmed using EPMA, SIMS, and the like. Examples of the ion exchangegroup to be introduced into the organic porous material include:cationic exchange groups such as a sulfonic acid group, carboxylic acidgroup, iminodiacetic acid group, phosphoric acid group, and phosphoricester group; anionic exchange groups such as a quaternary ammoniumgroup, tertiary amino group, secondary amino group, primary amino group,polyethylene imine, tertiary sulfonium group, and phosphonium group; andamphoteric ion-exchange groups such as betaine and sulfobetaine.

[0097] The organic porous material and organic porous ion exchanger ofthe present invention include the open cell structure including theinterconnected macropores and mesopores having an average diameter of 1to 1000 μm existing on walls of the macropores, and further microporesas non-continuous pores having an average pore diameter of 5 to 800 nm.This structure is anovel structure far different from that of theconventional particle aggregation type porous material. While thestrength of the porous material is held, the pore volume and specificsurface area can remarkably be enlarged.

[0098] One example of the manufacturing method of the organic porousmaterial will be described hereinafter. That is, for the organic porousmaterial, the oil-soluble monomer not containing the ion exchange group,precipitant which is a poor solvent against the polymer obtained bypolymerizing the oil-soluble monomer and by which the oil-solublemonomer is dissolved, surface-active agent, water, and polymerizationinitiator if necessary are mixed, the water-in-oil type emulsion isprepared and polymerized, and the material is manufactured.

[0099] The oil-soluble monomer not containing the ion exchange group isan oleophic monomer which does not contain ion exchange groups such asthe carboxylic acid group, sulfonic acid group, and quaternary ammoniumgroup and which has low solubility with respect to water. Concreteexamples of these monomers include styrene, α-methylstyrene,vinyltoluene, vinylbenzylchloride, divinylbenzene, ethylene, propylene,isobutene, butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, chloroethene, vinylbromide, vinylidene chloride, tetrafluoroethylene, acrylonitrile,methacrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butylacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate,butanediol diacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propylmethacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, cyclohexylmethacrylate, benzyl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and ethyleneglycol methacrylate. These monomers can be used alone or as acombination of two or more thereof. Additionally, in the presentinvention, the crosslinking monomers such as divinyl benzene andethylene glycol dimethacrylate are selected as at least one component ofthe oil-soluble monomer, and the content is set to a range of 10 to 90mol %, preferably 12 to 80 mol % in the total oil-soluble monomer. Thisis preferable in that the necessary mechanical strength is obtained inintroducing a large amount of ion exchange groups in the subsequentstep.

[0100] As the precipitant which is a poor solvent against the polymerobtained by polymerizing the oil-soluble monomer and which dissolves theoil-soluble monomer, various precipitants can be selected in accordancewith the type of the oil-soluble monomer. As the precipitant, apliphatichydrocarbons such as hexane, heptane, octane, isooctane, and decane; andalcohols such as 1-butanol, 2-butanol, e-methyl-2-btanol, and methylisobutyl carbinol can be used when a mixture of styrene and divinylfenzere is used as the oil soluble monomer. The addition amount of theprecipitant should vary with the content of divinylbenzene in theoil-soluble monomer, and can be selected in a range of 10 to 70%,preferably 20 to 60% with respect to the total amount of the oil-solublemonomer and precipitant. By the adding of the precipitant, for example,an initial polymer of styrene and divinylbenzene is not easily dissolvedin oil contents such as the oil-soluble monomer. As a result, thepolymer is precipitated in a micro particulate state, these microparticulate materials form an aggregate, and micro concave/convexportions appear in the surface. When the addition amount of precipitantis large, many micropores are developed, but the strength tends to drop.When the amount is small, the micropores are not easily developed.Moreover, the pore diameter of micropores can be controlled byappropriately selecting a blend amount of precipitant or a blend ratioof the crosslinking monomer and precipitant. As a method of forming themicropores, in addition to the adding of the precipitant, examples ofthe method include: a method of adding a straight-chain polymer such asthe polymer of the oil-soluble monomer; a method of adding swellingageet as good solvent for the polymer obtained by polymerizing theoil-soluble monomer together with the precipitant; and a method of usingboth the straight-chain polymer and the swelling aget or precipitant.

[0101] The surface-active agent is not especially limited as long as thewater-in-oil type (W/O) emulsion can be formed in mixing the oil-solublemonomer not containing the ion exchange group and water. There can beused: non-ion surface-active agents such as sorbitan monooleate,sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate,sorbitan trioleate, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylenestearyl ether, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate; anionicsurface-active agents such as potassium oleate, sodiumdodecylbenzenesulfonate, and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; cationicsurface-active agents such as distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; andamphoteric surface-active agents such as lauryl dimethyl betaine. Thesesurface-active agents can be used alone or as a combination of two ormore thereof. It is to be noted that the water-in-oil type emulsion isan emulsion including a continuous phase as an oil phase and dropletsare dispersed in the phase. The addition amount of the surface-activeagent largely should vary with the type of the oil-soluble monomer andthe size of emulsion particles (macropores) to be formed, and cannottherefore categorically be determined. However, the amount can beselected in a range of about 2 to 70% with respect to the total amountof the oil-soluble monomer and surface-active agent.

[0102] As the polymerization initiator, a compound which generates theradical by heat and irradiation is preferably used. The polymerizationinitiator may either be water-soluble or oil-soluble. Examples of thepolymerization initiator include asobisisobutyronitrile,asobiscyclohexanenitrile, asobiscyclohexanecarbonitrile, benzoylperoxide, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, hydrogenperoxide-iron chloride, sodium persulfate-acid sulphite sodium,tetramethyl thiram disulfide, and the like. Additionally, depending oncircumstances, the polymerization proceeds with heating or irradiationalone without adding the polymerization initiator in some system, and itis unnecessary to add the polymerization initiator in the system.

[0103] The method of mixing the oil-soluble monomer not containing theion exchange group, precipitant, surface-active agent, water, andpolymerization initiator to form the water-in-oil emulsion is notespecially limited. There can be used: a method of once mixing therespective components in a batch; a method of separately uniformlydissolving oil-soluble components such as the oil-soluble monomer,precipitant, surface-active agent, and oil-soluble polymerizationinitiator, and water-soluble components such as water and water-solublepolymerization initiator and thereafter mixing the respectivecomponents; and the like. The mixing device for forming the emulsion isnot especially limited, a usual mixer, homogenizer, high-pressurehomogenizer, rotation/revolution system super mixer, vacuum agitationdefoaming mixer, and the like can be used, and the appropriate devicefor obtaining the target emulsion particle diameter may be selected.Moreover, the mixing conditions are not especially limited, and theagitation rotation number or agitation time can arbitrarily be set sothat the target emulsion particle diameter can be obtained. It is to benoted that the mixture ratio of the oil-soluble and water-solublecomponents can arbitrarily be set in a range of (oil-solublecomponent)/(water-soluble component)=2/98 to 50/50, preferably 5/95 to30/70 in terms of a weight ratio.

[0104] For the polymerization conditions for polymerizing thewater-in-oil type emulsion obtained in this manner, various conditionscan be selected in accordance with the type of monomer andpolymerization initiator system. For example, whenasobisisobutylonitrile, benzoyl peroxide, potassium persulfate; and thelike are used as the polymerization initiator, the emulsion may beheated/polymerized at 0 to 30° C. for one to 48 hours in the sealedcontainer under the inert atmosphere. When hydrogen peroxide-ironchloride, sodium persulfate-acid sodium sulfite, and the like are usedas the initiator, the emulsion may be polymerized at 0 to 30° C. for oneto 48 hours in the sealed container under the inert atmosphere. Afterthe polymerization ends, the content is taken out. If necessary, for apurpose of removing the unreacted monomer and surface-active agent,extraction is performed using the solvents such as isopropanol, and theorganic porous material is obtained. That is, in the water-in-oil typeemulsion, oil content is polymerized to form a framework structure, anda water droplet portion forms a cell portion.

[0105] A manufacturing method of the organic porous ion exchanger of thepresent invention will next be described. The manufacturing method ofthe organic porous ion exchanger is not especially limited, and examplesof the method include: a method of forming the components containing theion exchange groups into the organic porous ion exchanger in one stage;and a method of manufacturing the organic porous material by theabove-described method and subsequently introducing the ion exchangegroups. Among these, the method of manufacturing the organic porousmaterial and introducing the ion exchange group is preferable in thatthe structure control of the obtained organic porous ion exchanger canstrictly be controlled.

[0106] The method of introducing the ion exchange group into the organicporous material is not especially limited, and known methods such aspolymer reaction and graft polymerization can be used. Examples of amethod of introducing the sulfonic acid group include: a method of usingchlorosulfuric acid, concentrated sulfuric acid, or fuming sulfuric acidto sulfonate the material, when the organic porous material is astyrene-divinyl benzene copolymer; a method of introducing a radicalinitiation group or chain transfer group into the organic porousmaterial and graft-polymerizing sodium styrenesulfonate oracrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid; a method of similarlygraft-polymerizing glycidyl methacrylate and subsequently introducingthe sulfonic acid group by functional group conversion; and the like.Moreover, examples of the method of introducing the quaternary ammoniumgroup include: a method of introducing the chloromethyl group bychloromethyl methyl ether, and thereafter reacting the group withtertiary amine, when the organic porous material is thestyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer; a method of manufacturing the organicporous material by copolymerization of chloromethyl styrene and divinylbenzene, and reacting the material with tertiary amine; a method ofintroducing the radical initiation group or chain transfer group intothe organic porous material to graft-polymerize N,N,N-trimethylammoniumethylacrylate or N,N,N-trimethylammonium propyl acrylamide; a method ofsimilarly graft-polymerizing glycidyl methacrylate and subsequentlyintroducing the quarternary ammonium group by the functional groupconversion; and the like. Moreover, examples of a method of introducingbetaine include: a method of introducing tertiary amine into the porousmaterial as described above, and subsequently reacting and introducingmonoiodoacetic acid; and the like. It is to be noted that examples ofthe ion exchange group to be introduced include: the cationic exchangegroups such as the carboxylic acid group, iminodiacetic acid group,sulfonic acid group, phosphoric acid group, and phosphoric ester group;anionic exchange groups such as the quaternary ammonium group, tertiaryamino group, secondary amino group, primary amino group, polyethyleneimine, tertiary sulfonium group, and phosphonium group; and amphotericion-exchange groups such as betaine and sulfobetaine.

[0107] The present invention will next concretely be described in termsof examples, but this is simply an illustration, and does not limit thepresent invention.

Example 3-1

[0108] (Manufacturing of Organic Porous Material)

[0109] 32.91 g of styrene, 17.72 g of divinylbenzene, 21.70 g ofn-heptane, 8.04 g of sorbitan monooleate, and 0.29 g ofasobisisobutylonitrile (ABIBN) were mixed and uniformly dissolved.Subsequently, the resultant styrene/divinylbenzene/n-heptane/sorbitanmonooleate/asobisisobutylonitrile mixture was added to 450 mL ofdeionized water. A homogenizer was used to agitate the mixture at 20000rotations/minute for two minutes, so that the water-in-oil type emulsionwas obtained. After the emulsification ended, the water-in-oil typeemulsion was transferred to an autoclave, sufficiently replaced withnitrogen, sealed, and polymerized under the still standing state at 60°C. for 24 hours. After the polymerization ended, the content was takenout, Soxhlet extraction was performed using isopropanol for 18 hours,the unreacted monomer, n-heptane, water, and sorbitan monooleate wereremoved, and pressure reduction and drying were performed at 85° C.overnight. The inner structure of the organic porous material containing26 mol % of crosslinking components including the styrene/divinylbenzenecopolymer obtained in this manner was observed by SEM. The result isshown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, a middle portion shown in a “V”-shapecorresponds to the inner wall of the cell portion of the frameworkstructure, and dark portions on right upper and left sides correspond tomesopores. Moreover, the inner wall of the cell portion of the frameworkstructure is seen inside the mesopores. In this manner, the organicporous material includes the open cell structure, most of macroporeshaving an average diameter of 20 μm overlap with one another, theaverage diameter of the mesopores formed by the overlap of themacropores is in a range of 0.8 to 20.1 μm, and the average porediameter is 4.3 μm. In the inner wall of the cell structure formed bymacropores and mesopores, micro concave/convex portions having undefinedshapes were observed (concave/convex portions of the surface of theframework structure portion of FIG. 9). For the micro concave/convexportion of the inner wall surface of the cell, the pore diameterobtained by the nitrogen adsorption method is in a range of 2 to 80 nm,and it was possible to define the portion as non-continuous microporeshaving an average pore diameter of 20 nm. Moreover, the total porevolume was 5.0 mL/g, and BET specific surface area was 64 m²/g.

Examples 3-2 to 3-4

[0110] (Manufacturing of Organic Porous Material)

[0111] The organic porous material was manufactured in the same manneras in Example 3-1 except that charge amounts of styrene, divinylbenzene,n-heptane, sorbitan monooleate, and asobisisobutylonitrile were changedto values shown in Table 1. Results are put together in Table 2. Inevery case, the organic porous material had the cell structure shown inFIG. 9, the introduction of micropores was confirmed, and large valuesof BET specific surface area were obtained.

Reference Example 1

[0112] The organic porous material was manufactured in a method similarto that of Example 3-4 except that n-heptane was not added and theaddition amount of sorbitan monooleate was changed to the value shown inTable 1. Results are shown in Table 2. In this reference example, theBET specific surface area of the organic porous material was no morethan about ⅙ that of the organic porous material of Example 3-4, and thepresence of micropores was not recognized. TABLE 1 Divinyl Sorbitan n-Styrene benzene monooleate heptane AIBN Water (g) (g) (g) (g) (g) (mL)Ex. 3-1 32.91 17.72 8.04 21.7 0.29 450 Ex. 3-2 40.50 10.13 4.44 33.70.20 450 Ex. 3-3 40.50 10.13 8.04 21.7 0.20 450 Ex. 3-4 45.57 5.06 4.4433.7 0.15 450 Ref. 45.57 5.06 5.63 0 0.15 450 Ex. 3-1

[0113] TABLE 2 Mesopores Micropores BET average average Total specificpore pore pore surface diameter diameter volume area (μm) (nm) (mL/g)(m²g) Example 3-1 4.3 20 5.0 64 Example 3-2 4.5 30 8.6 47 Example 3-34.3 20 5.8 46 Example 3-4 5.8 30 9.6 38 Reference 5.0 None 8.0 6 Example3-1

[0114] It is seen from Tables 1 and 2 that the organic porous materialsof Examples 3-1 to 3-4 indicate BET specific surface areas six to tentimes as large as the surface area of the organic porous material of thereference example in which the precipitant is not added.

Example 3-5

[0115] (Manufacturing of Organic Porous Ion Exchanger)

[0116] After the organic porous material manufactured in Example 3-4 wascut, 11.5 g of the material was picked up, and 800 mL of dichloroethanewas added thereto. The mixture was heated at 60° C. for 30 minutes, andcooled to room temperature. Afterward, 59.1 g of chlorosulfuric acid wasgradually added thereto, and reaction was carried out at roomtemperature for 12 hours. Thereafter, acetic acid was added, thereactants were projected into a large amount of water, rinsed, anddried, and a porous cationic exchanger was obtained. It was confirmedthat the ion exchange capacity of the porous material was 4.4 mgequivalent/g in terms of the dry porous material and that the sulfonicacid groups were uniformly introduced into the porous material by usingEPMA to map sulfur. Moreover, the inner structure of the organic porousion exchanges include the open cell structure, most of macropores havingan average diameter of 40 μm overlapped with one another, the averagevalue of diameters of mesopores formed by the overlap of the macroporesis 5.0 μm, the total pore volume was 8.2 mL/g, and BET specific surfacearea was 36 m²/g. The average value of diameters of micropores was 480nm.

Example 3-6

[0117] (Use of Organic Porous Material as Adsorbent)

[0118] The organic porous material manufactured in Example 3-1 was cutin a square column shape having a bottom surface of 10 mm×10 mm and aheight of 30 mm, and was filled into a square column having a bottomsurface of 10 mm×10 mm and a height of 30 mm. One liter of 2 ethyl 1hexanol aqueous solution having a concentration of 100 μg/L was suppliedto the column at a speed of 50 mL/minute, the aqueous solution passedthrough the column was recovered, and 2 ethyl 1 hexanol concentrationwas measured. As a result, it was confirmed that the 2 ethyl 1 hexanolconcentration in the aqueous solution effluent from the column was 1μg/L or less and the organic porous material of the present examplecould quantitatively adsorb/remove 2 ethyl 1 hexanol.

[0119] As clearly seen from the above description, the organic porousmaterials and organic porous ion exchangers of the present inventionhave large pore volumes and specific surface areas, and are furthersuperior in permeability of gas or liquid. Therefore, the presentinvention is useful as a filter, adsorbent, substitute for the existingion exchange resin, filler as a substitute for the desalination moduleof the electrodeionization water purification device, filler for eachtype chromatography, solid acid, or base catalyst, and can be applied toa broad range of use field.

1. A porous ion exchanger having many macropores therein, wherein: themacropores have an open cell structure in which the macropores areinterconnected via mesopores, the mesopores have an average diameter of1 to 1000 μm, a total pore volume is in a range of 1 to 50 ml/g, ionexchange groups are substantially uniformly distributed, and an ionexchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mg equivalent/g of dry porous ionexchanger.
 2. An electrodeionization module for use in anelectrodeionization water purification device, comprising: a frame witha given thickness and having an inflow orifice and an outflow orifice, acation exchange membrane disposed so as to seal up one side of theframe, an anion exchange membrane disposed so as to seal up the otherside of the frame, and an ion exchanger filled into an internal spacedefined by the frame, the cation exchange membrane and the anionexchange membrane, the porous ion exchanger according to claim 1 beingused as the ion exchanger.
 3. An electorodeionization module for use inan electrodeionization water purification device, comprising: a framewith a predetermined thickness and having an inflow orifice and anoutflow orifice, a cation exchange membrane disposed so as to seal upone side of the frame, an anion exchange membrane disposed so as to sealup the other side of the frame, an intermediate ion exchange membranefor partitioning an internal space defined by the frame, the cationexchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane into a first internalspace on a cation exchange membrane side and a second internal space onan anion exchange membrane side, and an ion exchanger filled into thefirst internal space and second internal space, the porous ion exchangeraccording to claim 1 being used as the ion exchanger.
 4. Theelectrodeionization module according to claim 3, wherein: theintermediate ion exchange membrane is an anion exchange membrane, aporous ion exchanger filled into the first internal space has both anionand cation exchange capabilities, and the porous ion exchanger filledinto the second internal space is a porous anion exchanger.
 5. Theelectrodeionization module according to claim 4, wherein the porous ionexchanger filled into the first internal space is a laminate of theporous anionic exchanger and porous cationic exchanger.
 6. Theelectrodeionization module according to claim 4, wherein the porous ionexchanger filled into the first internal space is a porous amphotericion exchanger.
 7. An electrodeionization water purification deviceincluding the electrodeionization module according to any one of claims2 to
 6. 8. A method for manufacturing a porous ion exchanger having manymacropores therein, comprising the steps of: mixing an oil-solublemonomer and water to form a water-in-oil type emulsion in which waterdroplets are dispersed in an oil phase; and polymerizing the monomer inthe water-in-oil type emulsion to form a porous material in which themacropores interconnected to one another via mesopores have an open cellstructure and an average diameter of the mesopores is in a range of 1 to1000 μm.
 9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, furthercomprising the steps of: introducing an ion exchange group into theporous material formed by polymerizing the monomer.
 10. Themanufacturing method of the porous ion exchanger according to claim 8 or9, wherein: the porous ion exchanger has a total pore volume in a rangeof 1 to 50 ml/g, the ion exchange groups are substantially uniformlydistributed, and an ion exchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mgequivalent/g of dry porous ion exchanger.
 11. The porous ion exchangeraccording to claim 1, wherein the ion exchange group is a cationexchange group.
 12. The porous ion exchanger according to claim 11,which is used as a solid acid catalyst.
 13. The porous ion exchangeraccording to claim 12, which is used as a solid acid catalyst in areaction distillation method.
 14. A porous ion exchanger having manymacropores therein, wherein: the macropores have an open cell structurein which the macropores are interconnected via mesopores, the mesoporeshave an average diameter of 1 to 1000 μm, and the porous ion exchangerfurther comprising micropores as non-continuous pores having an averagepore diameter of 5 to 800 nm and existing on inner walls which definethe respective pores.
 15. The porous ion exchanger according to claim14, wherein an ion exchange capacity is not less than 0.5 mgequivalent/g of dry porous ion exchanger.
 16. The ion exchangeraccording to claim 14, which is used as an adsorbent.
 17. The ionexchanger according to claim 14, which is used as a filler forchromatography.
 18. A method for manufacturing a porous ion exchangerhaving many macropores therein, comprising the steps of: mixing anoil-soluble monomer, a precipitant which is a poor solvent with respectto a polymer obtained by polymerizing the oil-soluble monomer and whichdissolves the oil-soluble monomer, a surface-active agent, and water toform a water-in-oil type emulsion in which water droplets are dispersedin an oil phase; polymerizing the monomer in the water-in-oil typeemulsion to form a porous material; and introducing an ion exchangegroup into the formed porous material to manufacture the ion exchangerincluding an open cell structure in which the macropores areinterconnected via mesopores and an average diameter of the mesopores isin a range of 1 to 1000 μm, and further including micropores asnon-continuous pores having an average pore diameter of 5 to 800 nm andexisting on inner walls which define the respective pores.